Living in a Dream
by Hallmark Cafe
Summary: Edward said so himself, this new world was only a dream to him. But maybe he could finally wake up...


A/N: Okay, time for some much-needed context: this is if Conqueror of Shambala never happened, so Ed never went back to the alchemy world and never saw Al or anybody else again. He's probably about 19 here.

Something wasn't right. What was it? What was wrong? Ed knew he should know, should remember, but he couldn't focus. Why was everything so fuzzy? Ed looked down. Ah. There was a hole in his chest, right below his heart. That wasn't right, was it? Holes aren't good. But the hole wasn't that big, only the size of a penny. It couldn't be too bad, then. All the blood was annoying, though. It would get on his shirt. Well damn, he had just gotten that shirt. But why was the hole there, anyway? Ed looked up. In front of him stood a boy dressed up like a policeman. He was younger than Ed, and his costume made him look even smaller. It was too big. Ed wanted to ask him why he dressed like that, but he couln't get the words out. Then Ed noticed the boy was holding a gun. That was where the hole was from, then. Ed must have been shot. He felt he should tell someone. Getting shot was a problem, right?

"Look…You… You shot...me. Why'd you… why'd you do that?" Ed wanted to ask the boy-policeman what he had done to deserve being shot, but the words wouldn't come. There was something in the way of his tongue, something that tasted like metal. Oh yeah. It was blood. Ed could feel it filling his mouth and flowing from his lips. He probably looked like a vampire. But didn't vampires sleep in coffins? Ed was just lying on the cold sidewalk. Not a vampire, then.

Above him, Ed was dimly aware of a flurry of movement, like moths beating against a candle. Ed never had figured out why they liked to do that. He really out to get around to it… From far off, he could hear a woman's scream. It was from down a long pipe, tinny and echoic. It had a quality that reminded Ed of when Al had still been a suit of armor. Al… Ed would see him soon, right? Right…

"So, Edward Elric, we meet again. I must say, your face is becoming rather tiresome to me." A voice was coming from somewhere. Ed looked around. He was standing in a white space, with nothing around. It was familiar to him, for some reason. "Well? What are you going to do?" the voice asked again. It sounded familiar… Truth! Truth was its name, Ed remembered.

"Where am I?" he asked Truth.

"At the choosing."

"The choosing?"

"Yes. Not everyone has this opportunity, you know. Most people just _go_, without any choice in the matter. But you get a choice. And you know how valuable those are, don't you?" Truth sounded smug.

"No, what are you talking about? And why am I here?" Ed asked again. Truth sighed.

"Look."

"What? I don't-" Then Ed realized there was a huge stone door in front of him. He could feel a pull from the door, like there was something good on the other side. "Al?" he asked. "Winry? Teacher?" He couldn't remember why those names were so important, but he knew they were things he had wanted, things he had longed for… He reached out to touch the door, but his fingers stopped, only a whisper of air between them and the cool stone. "Truth," he said, "are they on the other side?"

"Well, not all of them. Not yet. But they will be, eventually. All things go to the other side, given time."

"Then I should go, right? If I want to see them." But Ed did not move to touch the door.

"You tell me," Truth said amiably. "It's your choice, not mine. So choose."

"Then… No. It's not my place. I can't go, because… because I shouldn't. Al wouldn't want me to. It's not my time." Ed pulled his hand away from the door. Truth grinned.

"Well, you've made your choice. Good luck, Edward Elric."

Ed woke up to see Gracias tearful face beside his bed. He was in the hospital.

"Oh my god! I was so worried! Doctor Rockbell wasn't sure you'd make it, and I was so afraid…"

"What happened?" Ed asked, his tongue thick.

"That young policeman shot you! He says you were attacking him or something. How ridiculous! Maes always says, the young ones are so paranoid. Just look at them sideways and they panic. The Nazis really should train their recruits better, I say. Oh, but are you alright? You were in a coma, you know. We should sue, or something. What really happened, anyway?" Gracia turned her tear shined eyes towards him.

Ed smiled. "Good question." He paused. "…I made a choice." Ed closed his eyes. "I made a choice, and I'm going to stick with it. This is real, not a dream. I've been lying to myself for so long, but I've finally decided to stop. I can't just quit because I wanted to be somewhere else. I'm stuck here, for better or for worse." Then Ed smiled wanly. "But I'll see them eventually. It's like Truth said… all things go to the other side, given time."

{Fin}


End file.
